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Murder trial to open Monday

LOWELL -- Opening statements are expected on Monday in Lowell Superior Court in the case of a 62-year-old Lowell man accused of first-degree murder for beating his wife to death with a rubber mallet.

The Ngoc Tran has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and assault and battery on a person over 60. Police allege Tran attacked Son Tran, 60, his wife of 30 years, in their Lowell home in April 2011.

Police said Tran repeatedly hit his wife in the head with the mallet. As his wife cried in pain, Tran allegedly stuffed toilet paper in her mouth, then continued to beat her, fracturing her skull and killing her.

Tran allegedly sat down and wrote a five-page letter in Vietnamese for his four adult children.

Tran allegedly wrote in the letter that he had to end his "unconscionable" wife's life to "rid their family of her poison."

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